The Ropes of Hell
by Rikkumorningstar
Summary: She had the dreams...She had the spirit visits...Now they need her help-their help. Naru and the rest of SPR are hesitant to respond to their call, but when they decide to ignore the spirits' plea, Mai becomes their next target and they are forced to answer to the one who started it all... the rope maiden...Kirie... Mai x Naru Ghost Hunt X Fatal Frame Crossover
1. Chapter 1

_Well...I gave in... That's right! Enough of you said it nicely so I decided to grant you your wish and make the chapters longer. Now this does mean that it may take longer for the chapters to come out...so please bare with me...I wasn't lying when I said writing had become a tad difficult for me...So if you're okay with the longer-wait-for-longer-chapters-tradeoff then I shall continue to do the chapters this way..._

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**CHAPTER 1**

It had been several weeks since the dreams of a horribly haunted manor began; but it wasn't until this morning, when I awoke to the sound of a thunderclap like I'd never heard before and found myself momentarily caught between the dream and reality, that I finally decided to tell the others at SPR.

After all the time I'd spent with SPR you would think I would recognize when a spirit was trying to reach out to me...

Buuuuut...I'm apparently just not that smart.

As the temperature swiftly dropped in the apartment, I suddenly found myself wishing Naru were here.

I started to regret declining Lin's offer to help me with my precognitive dreams.

"_Help me,_" came a little girl's voice from somewhere inside the room.

I jumped from the bed and nearly out of my skin, my heart pounding a bruise into my chest.

I then heard something that sounded like a small tinkling bell followed by something else that sounded eerily like a rope being tightened or possibly stretched.

By now the room was cold enough to see my own breath.

I frantically looked around the room for any sign of movement, but every thing was very still.

The rope noise was steadily getting louder and then the room became silent and the temperature went back to normal. I sighed though I didn't feel all that relieved. Something like this had happened before. There would be several signs of an impending spirit and then right before it would lash out the whole area would be filled with a deathly silence.

RRRIIIIIIIINNNGG!

I nearly pissed myself as my phone's shrill ring cut through the thick lack of sound.

I ran to the phone table in the TV room and with a shaky hand raised the receiver to my ear.

"H-hello?"

"Mai?"

It was Naru.

Never had I been so happy to hear his voice.

"Thank God it's you," I said quietly, still not convinced I was alone.

"Mai," he sounded annoyed, "Why are you still at home? You were supposed to be here at the office thirty minutes ago."

I glanced at the digital wall clock.

I stared for several moments not understanding why my alarm clock in my bedroom didn't go off.

Or maybe it had and I just didn't hear it. My dreams were so loud and so real that sometimes nothing could wake me from them.

"Naru, I'm really sorry. I..."

My voice trailed off at the sudden eerie scratching coming from directly above me in the ceiling.

"...I just..."

And then the walls.

"...I..."

And then the floor.

I spun around several times searching for any signs of a spirit. Suddenly more annoyed than frightened I shouted, "Are you kidding me?!"

I dropped the phone as a loud bang shook the room I was currently in.

"Mai?"

I could still hear Naru... So the phone had apparently gone to speaker when it had hit the floor.

I ignored him, being more focused on the spirits.

There was whispering all around me, though it was all very garbled.

"I get it," I said to whatever it was, "You want me to listen. Fine! Well here I am!"

"Mai! What's going on?!"

Naru sounded quiet even though I'm pretty sure he was yelling. But that could possibly be contributed to the gusting winds now tearing apart my living room.

"Mai! Answer me!"

Another loud bang.

"What do you want from me!" I shouted, now more scared than annoyed.

"Mai! Lin and I are on our way. Try not to do anything reckless until we get there."

"Hurry!"

For this very reason Naru had found me an apartment only fifteen minutes from SPR.

But time seemed to be going much slower, or perhaps they ran into traffic and were now running the rest of the way here.

After what seemed like hours it all stopped…until all that remained was a light swirl of dust and through that dust I saw **_her_**.

A woman with long black hair, dressed in a blood stained white kimono and ropes around her wrists.

Now, she wasn't in the room, per se, she was looking at me from across the room…in a mirror.

I didn't know what to make of her.

"W-Who are you...?" I asked softly.

She said nothing.

Only stared blankly back at me.

"Please stop me," pleaded the little girl's voice from before. "I don't want to kill anymore…"

Wait…

Was it the little girl I should fear…or was it this woman?

I didn't have time to answer my internal question as the woman slowly moved through the glass and into the room. And as she did so, the rope sounds started up again.

I gazed unblinking across the room.

Just who was she?

All became quiet… Before the storm.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

The door behind me burst open.

"Mai! Get down!" came an urgent voice.

Without turning to see who it was I obeyed and good thing, since in the next instant, a bolt of light shot across the room and straight through the spirit into the mirror behind her.

Lin extended his hand and helped me back to my feet…his eyes looked troubled and seemed to be searching mine for an answer to an unspoken question.

I turned to Naru who appeared troubled as well, though he looked more annoyed than much else.

"Mai," he said, "Tell me… Who was that?"

After much arguing of how dumb _I _was and how awful _he_ was we were sitting within the safety of SPR.

The rest of the group was there as well, quite tired looking might I add.

Naru took a sip of the tea that I had had to get him, even thought I was the one who had been nearly attacked

I glared at him but he didn't seem to notice or care.

He set the cup down.

"How long have you been having these dreams," it was Lin who made the inquiry.

I felt guilty for not telling him sooner.

I glanced at each of them, feeling quite angry with myself.

"About a couple of months now," I said softly.

I knew what was coming.

But apparently so did Naru, for when everyone started to talk at once he raised his hand to silence them.

They obeyed and settled back into their seats.

He turned back to me, and for once there was no hint of annoyance in his eyes, only concern.

This I did not…could not comprehend.

So I looked away before he could see me blush.

"Now, Mai," he started, his voice unusually kind, "What can you remember?"

I was momentarily thrown off by the kind tone in his voice and had to force myself to look back into his eyes.

I told them about the manor and how all its inhabitants were massacred on the night of some ritual.

I told them about the little girl who was asking for my help and about how all the spirits were trapped inside the huge manor.

Naru narrowed his eyes seeming to have some kind of understanding that the others-that I-didn't have.

Monk and the others talked amongst themselves…

…while Naru continued to stare directly at me, "Any names?"

"Well," I started, but I came up blank.

And just when I was beginning to think I wouldn't remember any, something or someone whispered the name, "Himuro" in my head.

Naru sighed and looked away, apparently deciding that I was now wasting his time.

Not wanting him to lose interest, I said quickly, "Himuro!"

Lin stopped typing and everyone went quiet.

Naru turned back to me, the concerned look back in his eyes, but I decided to ignore it as I continued.

"The head of the manor, his family name was Himuro."

"Naru," Said Lin softly.

Naru sighed, "I know."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

_He knows…? He knows what?!_

I wanted to ask, but I could already guess at the answer… An irritated glare and a swift request for tea.

But I couldn't help myself, "What is it?"

I looked from Naru to Lin.

The others were also tired of not being in the know.

Ayako glared tiredly at Naru and Lin before saying in a demanding tone, "Mai was just attacked, so I really don't think being a secretive dick is the right course of action!"

Naru appeared frustrated, but I got the feeling it had nothing to do with the name calling.

"Naru," I asked, carefully.

I'd never seen him look so tormented before.

It was almost as though he was…

But that couldn't be right… He was never afraid of anyone or anything.

It had to be something else.

"Naru," I said again, this time reaching out to gently touch his shoulder.

This seemed to snap him from his thoughts as he looked at me and said, "I'm sorry, Mai, but-"

"But what?" I snapped, "Won't help?!"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "There's a scared spirit, who's clearly snapped, who wants to redeem herself! And you won't help?!"

I don't know why I lost it like that.

Perhaps I was overly tired from having so many restless nights. And perhaps I didn't _want_ to be haunted for the rest of my life.

Naru gaped at me along with all the others. Lin just rolled his eyes and went back to typing.

I sighed and sat back down, trying not to fume.

The room took on a feel of discomfort and then Naru spoke.

"You remember me talking about my brother Gene?"

By this point he had everyone's attention and suddenly I found I was not angry but concerned.

Of course I remembered him.

When I had first thought I had been dreaming about Naru, it had actually been Gene.

Since he was dead, he could visit me in my dreams.

Gene was basically Naru's Identical Twin.

Naru never really talked about his brother. So none of us knew much about him…like how he died.

Naru looked at all of us, and gave a heavy sigh before saying, "Based on recent events, I think it's time you all know how he died…and where."

I blinked, "You don't mean…?!"

"Yes, it was there that he died."

I thought as much.

So Gene died at Himuro Mansion.

This was either bad news or **really** bad news.

I glanced at Naru and saw that he was staring at me with a look in his eyes I'd never seen before.

Well that's not exactly true… I had seen it once…the day that I told him about my dreams about him and found out it hadn't been him at all, but Gene.

Naru sighed and looked away, "Gene had gone to investigate disappearances that were occurring near the manor. At the time, though, none of us had known about the massacre that occurred there."

The "massacre"…

Having seen bits of it take place in my precog dream, I felt I deserved to know more about it.

"When did this massacre take place," asked John.

A number started flashing in my mind and before I could stop myself I was answering, "1836…I think."

Naru's eyes flicked to me and narrowed.

In fact they all looked at me as though I had spoken out of turn in a classroom.

Ayako was the first to speak after that, "Did a spirit tell you that in your dream?"

I shook my head, "No."

Naru and Lin exchanged glances.

Suddenly Naru was more adamant than before to decline my request to save the Souls trapped at Himuro Mansion.

I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off.

"Mai…this is just…" he sighed. "We just can't help this time."

"And why not?! What aren't you telling me?!" I snapped.

He looked me in the eye and held my gaze.

"Lin and I will find a way to sever what ever link they have with you."

I narrowed my eyes at him growing more and more frustrated by the second.

"No Naru! They came to me – us – for help!"

Everyone looked to Naru, waiting for the truth to reveal itself.

"I understand that, Mai," was all he said.

I sighed in exasperation.

Masako glanced at him.

"You say your brother died at this Himuro Mansion."

She paused as he turned to her.

"How did he die?"

The question we'd all been too afraid to ask…was finally laid out before him.

He stared at her, his eyes narrowed.

Naru gave a heavy sigh and turned back to me.

"The spirit who appeared to you tonight…"

He hesitated, looking away.

"She lured him there…"

I blinked…

Naru had lied to me.


	4. Chapter 4

Well there you have it! 4 Fairly normal sized chapters. I hope you enjoy this chapter...

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**CHAPTER 4**

Everyone stared at him in silent shock.

"Y-You knew who she was when… Is she the one who killed Gene?" I demanded.

Lin stopped typing again prepared to defend his charge.

"Lin," said Naru, glancing at him. "It's okay. I_ can_ talk about it."

He turned back to us and sighed.

"Honestly, I don't know who or what killed him. What I do know is that before he left he had spoken of a woman with long black hair in a white kimono coming to him in his dreams."

He paused.

"It hadn't occurred to me then to stop him."

I sighed, once again feeling sorry for yelling at him.

Monk glanced at Naru as the rest spoke amongst themselves.

"Naru… After your brother left, did you follow him there?"

Everyone fell silent again.

"…Not right away."

Naru stared at a picture frame across the room, the hint of a frown playing at his lips.

I followed his gaze.

Being the narcissist he was I always thought it was a picture of himself.

Only, tonight, it occurred to me that it was, in fact, a picture of Gene.

"But when I did," Naru said, "The spirits had already taken him."

I reached out and laid my hand on Naru's shoulder.

He looked up and blinked.

"Naru," I started. "I understand how utterly paralyzing it can be to lose someone you care about. I lost my parents when I was still a child and no one would take me in so I basically had to raise myself. So…I know, Naru. But you can't let his death stop you from helping those who need you."

"And besides," said Ayako, "You know how spirits can get when their spooked. Severing their link with her could very well make things more dangerous for Mai."

"Fine," grumbled Naru. "We won't sever their connection with her."

Lin turned around and went back to work on his computer.

Naru scowled at his tea cup then looked back up at us.

"But I still think we should wait—"

"What?!" said everyone at once.

"Look, I'm not ready to hand Mai or any of you over to the trapped spirits there."

He glared at Ayako who was fuming back at him.

"This could be a trap just like the one that was set for Gene."

He glanced at me as he continued.

"I just want you all to really think about what's being asked of us before we go running there to save anyone."

He was right…I guess.

If this _was_ a trap and we found ourselves confronted by all the spirits of those who were massacred in 1836…

I shuddered and turned to Naru-

"Okay-"

-Then to the rest of SPR.

"-We should wait."

This seemed to allow Naru to relax a little. However, the rest of them – minus Lin – started to argue amongst themselves.

…

…

Naru decided that, just to be safe, I should stay at his place with himself and Lin.

Once I settled into my temporary room, I started to feel homesick. It was nice that Naru worried about me…but the room was just a tad too fancy for my taste.

It was easier to fall asleep than I had thought it would be and I was out almost the instant my head hit the pillow.

…

…

A noise awoke me several hours later. It was still dark outside…or maybe it was just dark in the room 'cause the curtains were so thick no light could pass through them.

I grumbled and laid my head back on the pillow.

I was going to go back to sleep when I heard the noise again…a small tinkling bell.

_Oh no_, I thought. _No, no, no, no…_

I bolted up right and looked around the room.

I saw something move from the corner of my eye and as I jerked around to see what or who it was, I felt a hand grab me by the arm and pull me from the bed.

"Hurry, Mai! We must not remain here!"

For a moment as I was being pulled from the room I could have sworn I had seen the woman in the white kimono, except she now hand dozens of arms swirling around her.

_Creepy!_

I turned back to Naru who was swiftly pulling me along down the dark hallway.

"What's going on Naru?! I thought you said she wouldn't find me here!"

He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a kind smile.

My eyes widened.

"My brother underestimated her ability to haunt your dreams through your connection."

_Gene…_

I smiled.

We came to a door and without missing a stride Gene wrenched it open and pulled me through it.

I glanced around and came to the conclusion that we were no longer in Naru's house. I recognized the place…it was where the massacre occurred. We were at Himuro Mansion.

"She's angry with you," said Gene as we walked up the stairs toward the front door.

"What?!" Now I was scared.

He gently squeezed my hand but his expression remained grim.

"You ignored her request for help. She's targeting you now. But it's not just you she—"

He stopped and listened.

I could hear it too. The sound of ropes stretching. She found us. She was very close.

We both turned around and came face to face with the many-arms-lady.

"Go up the stairs and through the front door," said Gene through clenched teeth.

"But-"

"Just trust me! Go! Now!"

I clamped my mouth shut and spun around and ran up the stairs but just as I reached the door I heard him cry out and spun back around to find the creepy woman lifting Gene off the ground by his throat.

"Gene!"

But before I could even have the thought of trying to help him, I was thrown through the doorway by some unseen force and found myself back in my room.

I glanced at the clock next to the bed…7:48a.m.

"I hope Naru's awake," I got off the bed and got dressed.

_He really should know how screwed we are._


	5. Chapter 5

Yes everyone another chapter! Maybe this won't be too difficult after all...

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**CHAPTER 5**

"What do you mean she was after you in your dream?" demanded Naru.

He stared at me in annoyance and bleary-eyedness.

I had incidentally had to wake him from a deep sleep so he wasn't too happy in general though I felt I shouldn't take his anger personally.

"Well," I started then paused.

_Should I really tell him?_ I shook my head. _Don't be stupid, Mai, you have to!_

"She didn't so much attack me as let me escape while she strangled your brother."

His eyes flicked to me, "Gene? He was there?"

And for an instant I thought I saw, in his eyes, something that resembled hurt – or possibly jealousy? – but it was gone too fast to be sure.

Maybe I had imagined his reaction…I mean why wouldn't I what with him being all White-Knight-in-shining-armor like, keeping me at his house and trying to keep me safe. This is probably the closest I've ever gotten to him showing any interest in me as a friend and not just an assistant.

I glanced at him and mentally slapped myself.

_What is wrong with me? Someone like him would never feel that way for me._

It's not like he'd ever gone out of his way to make me feel like I was good for anything other than fetching his damn tea!

"Yeah, he was there," I replied finally. "And he said something that you should really hear…"

So I told them (Lin and Naru) about how the white kimono woman was angry that we ignored her cries for help and was now targeting me and possibly the rest of SPR.

Once at the office, I relayed the not-so-good-news to the rest of the group which they were none-too-happy to hear.

"Great! So what now, Genius?!" said Ayako positively fuming at Naru who just stared calmly back at her as though she _weren't _the scariest person in the room right then.

"Ayako…"

Monk placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

Lin glanced at me then at his charge.

Concern shimmered in his eyes.

"Naru…"

Naru drummed his fingers on the table for a few seconds and then sighed.

"All right."

He glanced at me and then turned back to the others.

"I guess they're leaving us no choice."

He glanced at Lin who sighed and nodded a silent approval.

"We leave tomorrow."

"Now you're talkin'!" said Monk leaping from his seat…seeming a tad too excited to be going off to a possible losing battle.

But I guess I understood in a way why they'd be so eager to begin this case. We had been having a bit of a dry-spell in the work department for about a couple months…Oh! And the fact that they all care about me no doubt played a part in the sudden eager joy as well.

As we all mentally prepared for the journey we would start tomorrow, I started to think about Gene and about how he's probably been trapped in that manor since the day of his death. I wondered for a moment if he ever visited Naru in _his_ dreams. It hardly seemed fair that Naru should lose his brother only to find out that in his afterlife he's been contacting a complete stranger instead of him.

…

…

Back at my temporary home I lied in bed and tried to remember the days when my parents were still alive and I quickly became sad. Though not because I missed them, but because I knew that if I had to return to the place they were killed, I'd be tormented by the memory of their deaths, like I'm was sure Naru was about his brother.

As sleep finally took me I told myself that the next time I saw Gene I would have to remind him to check in on Naru. This case would be the hardest for him and he'd need all the assurance that we'd be okay.


End file.
